One by one, he assessed them. Slowly, a triumphant smile spread across his face. “We will put it to a vote.”
My eyes widened, and I quickly schooled my features, glancing sharply at Landon before I did. His expression mirrored most of the families with raised eyebrows and confused looks on their faces.
Because my father didn’t yield.
And he never put things to a vote.
He chuckled, a throaty, grating laugh that didn’t fit with the man I’d known my whole life. “There can be compromise in times such as these, no?”
Percy Valencourt narrowed his eyes, but not at my father. I followed his gaze from beside Landon to where he stared across the circle. Whether he trained it on Max, Merle, his wife, or his daughter, I couldn’t be sure.
But he waited for something.
“Knights and Maidens, discuss together with your families and decide on your vote. Each of the seats on the Round Tableau shall receive one. Knights, you can consider this your first taste of the real Round Table. You will vote, and in the event of a tie, Kingston shall act as the deciding vote. An honor bestowed to the reigning King of Camelot Court on both tables.”
I straightened under my father’s attention, directing mine forward.
My father continued. “Once everyone has had time to discuss, we will return and vote in reverse.”
He turned to his right and faced the Dreads, and I followed his example. I scrutinized each of them.
Vivian’s father was impossible to read, but his usual air of superiority, so similar to his daughter’s, remained.
Vivian’s mother stood closely behind him, so close I couldn’t see anything but her head beside Max’s right shoulder. Merle appeared torn between nervousness and his earlier zeal, but it was Max who concerned me most. The cracks in the normally aloof and unaffected expression caught my attention.
The sweat on his brow. The tightly clenched fist at his side.
And the way he held his breath.
I didn’t know what to make of it, but it struck me as odd compared to his usual anger and resentment over most Camelot Court activities. Before I could gather more insight, my father pulled his focus to the center of the room.
“Max Dread.”
He exhaled and reverted to his typical nonchalant stance and smug grin, meeting my father’s gaze as if this was all insignificant to him, at best.
Vivian’s mother glanced at him before redirecting her eyes across the room at Percy. He nodded in response.
The need to uncover their grander plan grew stronger as my father gave his final words.
“Sir Mordred, the first vote will go to you.”
Max Dread
With Drake’s decree ringing in my ears, I pushed my way out of the parlor. I took the main hall toward the back of the house, needing to get outside. Needing to get away.
Needing air.
Percy called out to me as I reached the patio doors. “If you can’t guarantee your loyalty, we’ll have to move forward.”
Storming out onto the patio, the rush of cool air against my face wasn’t nearly enough to extinguish the fire raging inside me. I paced the area, catching sight of the lake and stepping toward it. I had to put it out.
It burned. I had to stop it.
But my next step flared it with unrivaled intensity.
Quinn appeared in front of me, turning back to head inside and catching sight of me before I could hide. Still, I retreated.
I couldn’t handle this right now. I couldn’t stand?—
